The Internet and the World Wide Web have given rise to a wide variety of on-line retailers that operate virtual stores from which consumers can purchase products (i.e., merchandise or goods) as well as services. Although the popularity of these on-line retail sites is clearly evidenced by their increasing sales, for a variety of reasons, some consumers still would rather purchase products and services in a more conventional manner—i.e., via a brick-and-mortar store. Even when purchasing products and services from a brick-and-mortar store, various web-based applications and tools may be used to perform preliminary research about products and services.